As the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) enters another milestone in public service, it vows to continue delivering “Maagap at Mapagkalingang Serbisyo,” to the sectors it is mandated to serve.

This was the message of Secretary Judy M. Taguiwalo as the Department celebrates its 66th foundation anniversary with the theme, “DSWD@66: May Malasakit” to underscore the Department’s commitment to render prompt and compassionate service to marginalized sectors regardless of political or religious beliefs and gender orientation.

To fulfill its theme and to bring government services closer to the people, the DSWD started conducting last year a Mass Information Drive, as a pre-anniversary activity.  The first of the series of the information drive was held at Plaza Miranda, Quiapo, Manila in coordination with the DSWD National Capital Region (NCR) and local government units (LGUs) and in Barangay 105 Happyland and Isla Puting Bato, Tondo. This was followed by information caravans with Sacadas in Hacienda Luisita, with Lumads who joined   Lakbayan 2016 at the University of the Philippines and at PUP, and Lugawan at Luneta for street families and street children.

Likewise,  the Department’s information officers conducted an activity dubbed as “Compassion for the Homeless”, where homeless people staying at Luneta were given pre-loved clothes, malongs, blankets, cans of sardines, toiletries, and disposable diapers for their babies and toddlers. More than 200 homeless families and individuals availed of the goods.

According to Sec. Taguiwalo, “Ipagpapatuloy namin ang pagsasagawa ng mga ganitong uri ng activities upang maabot ang mga kababayan nating kapos-palad sa mga mahihirap na komunidad. Nais naming dalhin ang iba’t-ibang programa at serbisyo, hindi lang ng DSWD, kundi maging ng ibang ahensya ng pamahalaan sa mga lugar na bihira o hindi naaabutan ng tulong (We will continue doing these types of activities to reach Filipinos who live in urban poor communities and who need government services. We would like to bring the different programs and services, not only of the DSWD, but other agencies of the government, as well, to hard to reach places where assistance comes few and far between).”

The DSWD’s anniversary celebration started last January 3 during the flag ceremony hosted by the Office of Secretary. It will be a month long celebration to be highlighted by the PaNaTa Ko Sa Bayan Awards in recognition of partners and stakeholders for their valuable contribution to, and implementation of social welfare development programs on February 21.

Meanwhile, outstanding and loyal employees will also be recognized for their excellent performance and long years of dedicated service to government through the PRAISE and Loyalty Awards to be held on February 24.

Sec. Taguiwalo added that the anniversary is a timely occasion to enjoin the DSWD family to walk the extra mile to serve others.

Other activities to mark the Department’s 66th anniversary are

• Sports festival dubbed as “Tagisan ng Lakas sa Larong Pinoy”

Harana sa CIU;

• Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) product development and marketing contest;

• Soft launch of Malawakang Kamustahan Project;

• Relaunch of Knowledge Management (KM) Portal;

• Launch of EMPOWER featuring wellness booth display, free massage service, physical fitness sessions and health fora;

• 1 Billion Rising with Monique Wilson;

• Kalipunan Exhibit, a showcase of convergence initiatives;

• Social Media Launch of Kwentong Pinoy: Tayo at ang DSWD;

• Research Colloquium; and,

• Forum on the peace negotiations between the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP), with focus on the Comprehensive Agreement on Socio-Economic Reforms (CASER).#